A printer generally receives an output file of a computer such as a personal computer (PC) in a printer description language (PDL) that is understandable for the printer. The file is converted into bit map data through a printer intermediate language such as a display list (DL) by a controller in the printer and delivered to a printing engine.
In the case of an error such as jamming occurring in a printing process or an additional output after a printing, a user must start up the application of the PC again to instruct an output.
To avoid this, the printer incorporates an auxiliary storage unit such as a hard disk drive (HDD) and sequentially stores a DL file in the built-in HDD simultaneously with the output. In the case of a printer error, the printer reads the stored DL file from a next page, and recovers from the error.
This printer becomes expensive because the HDD or other storage means is incorporated. And when the user delivers the print data again into the PC, if the computer and printer are connected one by one, an output can be instructed again from the computer even in the event of a printer error. However, in a general printing in the communication network environments, the output is delivered through the server, and the user cannot recognize a printer error unless actually observing the printer. If the data is issued again in an error state of the printer, an output file may be accumulated in a spooler of the server, and this file must be deleted by a server manager.